any recent word on The Gabii Project's Lead burrito ?

You may have seen the headlines: “Mysterious lead coffin found near Rome”. “Ancient lead sarcophagus contains Roman VIP”. “Lead ‘burrito’ sarcophagus near Rome may hold a gladiator or a Christian dignitary”. And perhaps most to the point, “What the hell is buried in this half-ton coffin?”

The news story in question has to do with an unusual Imperial Roman lead sarcophagus, excavated 11 miles east of Rome in summer 2009 by the Gabii Project. The Gabii Project for the past three years has been studying and (starting last year) excavating near Palestrina the ancient Latin city of Gabii, a city-state that was once very much a rival to Rome. The University of Michigan sponsors the Gabii Project, which is directed by Michigan’s Nicola Terrenato, with excavations receiving the patrocinio of the American Academy in Rome.